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Vote early and often for your favorite new plant at the Garfield Park Arts Center

By Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, on August 6th, 2011

Vote for your favorite plant on display at the American Garden Award exhibit at the Garfield Park Arts Center in Indianapolis. (C) Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

Want to have your voice heard in the gardening industry?

The public is invited to vote for favorite new plants on display in a garden at the Garfield Park Arts Center on Indianapolis’ south side.

The Arts Center is one of 24 sites in the United States participating in the American Garden Award. The goal is to have gardens in all 50 states, said Diane Blazek, head of the interactive, not-for-profit, three-year-old program.

In Indianapolis, 18 members of Garfield Park Master Gardeners tallied about 100 volunteer hours on the project, says Jay Hagenow, president of the group.

Plants or seeds were donated by the American Garden Award program and grown locally at no charge by a commercial grower. The Friends of Garfield Park, Inc., purchased planting mix, soaker hoses, mulch and other supplies. (For full disclosure, I’m president of the Friends’ board.)

Master Gardener Thomas Graham designed the garden based on the number of plants, their size and horticultural needs. He and others weeded the steep hill, hauled 8 cubic yards of planter’s mix, planted, laid soaker hoses and installed mulch.

“As you might imagine, the opportunity to work with plants that aren’t yet available to the general public is very exciting for Master Gardeners,” Hagenow says.